1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an entertainment system comprising an entertainment apparatus for executing various programs, and at least one manual controller for inputting a manual control request of a user to the entertainment apparatus. Further, the present invention relates to the entertainment apparatus for constituting the entertainment system, a recording medium for use of the entertainment system, and a program itself.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some entertainment systems having entertainment apparatus which include video game machines execute a game according to a game program which is read from a recording medium such as a CD-ROM or the like under the control of a manual controller while game images are being displayed on a display screen of a television receiver based on data read from the recording medium.
The entertainment apparatus and the manual controller are usually connected to each other by serial interfaces. When a clock signal is sent from the entertainment apparatus to the manual controller, the manual controller sends key switch information corresponding to manual input actions of a user in synchronism with the clock signal.
Recently, there has been developed and used a system having a manual controller which incorporates therein a vibration generating mechanism for imparting vibrations to a user in response to a request from an external drive, for example, the entertainment apparatus. While a game is in progress on the entertainment apparatus, various vibrations corresponding to manual input actions of the user are generated and imparted to the user.
In such circumstances, various games utilizing the above-described entertainment apparatus are currently available on the market. However, typically, these games are merely directed to allow a user to move (control) virtual objects (images) imitating people, cars, airplanes, cards or the like on a monitor screen by manipulating a manual controller. That is, in most cases, the user can play these games only on the display monitor.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an entertainment system, an entertainment apparatus, a recording medium, and a program for allowing an actual object (three-dimensional object) imitating a virtual object (two-dimensional object) displayed on a monitor screen to move synchronously with the movement of the virtual object displayed on the monitor screen.
According to the present invention, an entertainment system comprises:
an entertainment apparatus for executing various programs;
at least one manual controller for inputting a manual control request of a user to the entertainment apparatus; and
at least one movable device, the movable device being movable in accordance with an instruction from the entertainment apparatus.
Further, according to the present invention, an entertainment apparatus is connectable to:
at least one manual controller for inputting a manual control request of a user to the entertainment apparatus;
a display monitor; and
at least one movable device, the movable device being movable in accordance with an instruction from the entertainment apparatus.
Accordingly, the three-dimensional actual movable device moves in accordance with the instruction from the entertainment apparatus. For example, the user can move an object displayed on a monitor screen and move the movable device synchronously with the movement of the object displayed on the monitor screen.
Therefore, when the entertainment system according to the present invention or the entertainment apparatus according to the present invention is applied to a video game apparatus, the user can enjoy not only viewing (controlling) the two-dimensional movement of the virtual object displayed on the monitor screen but also viewing (controlling) the three-dimensional movement of the actual movable device. Accordingly, a new amusing aspect can be added to the video game.
In the arrangement, the entertainment system may comprise a plurality of the manual controllers and at least one of the manual controllers may comprise the movable device.
Further, in the arrangement, the entertainment system may comprise a display monitor for displaying an image outputted from the entertainment apparatus and movement instructing means for moving the movable device synchronously with the movement of an object displayed on the display monitor.
In the arrangement, the object may move in accordance with movement information based on an input signal from the manual controller. Alternatively, the object may move in accordance with predetermined movement information.
Further, in the arrangement, the movable device may comprise vibration generating means for generating vibrations in accordance with the instruction comprising vibration information from the entertainment apparatus. Further, the movement instructing means may comprise:
object displaying means for displaying the object on the display monitor and moving the object on the display monitor in accordance with the movement information; and
vibration instructing means for outputting the movement information to the vibration generating means as the vibration information.
In the arrangement, the vibration generating means may comprise a plurality of vibration sources having different vibration characteristics and the vibration instructing means may calculate the vibration information to be supplied to each of the vibration sources based on the vibration characteristics of the vibration sources.
Next, according to the present invention, a recording medium stores a program and data for use of an entertainment system, the entertainment system comprising:
an entertainment apparatus for executing various programs;
at least one manual controller for inputting a manual control request of a user to the entertainment apparatus, the manual controller being connectable to the entertainment apparatus;
at least one movable device, the movable device being connectable to the entertainment apparatus and movable in accordance with an instruction from the entertainment apparatus; and
a display monitor for displaying at least one object,
wherein the program comprises the step of generating a movement instruction for moving the movable device synchronously with the movement of the object displayed on the display monitor.
Further, according to the present invention, a program is readable and executable by a computer, the program being for use of an entertainment system comprising:
an entertainment apparatus for executing various programs;
at least one manual controller for inputting a manual control request of a user to the entertainment apparatus, the manual controller being connectable to the entertainment apparatus;
at least one movable device, the movable device being connectable to the entertainment apparatus and movable in accordance with an instruction from the entertainment apparatus; and
a display monitor for displaying at least one object,
wherein said step of generating a movement instruction comprises the step of moving the movable device synchronously with the movement of the object displayed on the display monitor.
With the use of the recording medium, the three-dimensional actual movable device can move in accordance with the instruction from the entertainment apparatus. For example, the user can move an object displayed on a monitor screen and move the movable device synchronously with the movement of the object displayed on the monitor screen.
Accordingly, when the recording medium for storing a program and data according to the present invention or the program according to the present invention is applied to a video game apparatus, the user can enjoy not only viewing (controlling) the two-dimensional movement of the virtual object displayed on the monitor screen but also viewing (controlling) the three-dimensional movement of the actual movable device. Accordingly, a new amusing aspect can be added to the video game.
In the arrangement, the object may move in accordance with movement information based on an input signal form the manual controller. Alternatively, the object may move in accordance with predetermined movement information.
Further, in the arrangement, the movable device may comprise vibration generating means for generating vibrations in accordance with the instruction comprising vibration information from the entertainment apparatus. Further, said step of generating a movement instruction may comprise the steps of:
displaying the object on the display monitor and moving the object on display monitor in accordance with the movement information; and
generating a vibration instruction for outputting the movement information to the vibration generating means as the vibration information.
In the arrangement, the vibration generating means may comprise a plurality of vibration sources having different vibration characteristics and the vibration information to be supplied to each of said vibration sources may be calculated based on the vibration characteristics of the vibration sources in the step of generating a vibration instruction.
The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.